Battle of Pozieres – 1916

Battle of Pozieres

July 23-September 5, 1916 – Australian troops join the Battle of the Somme when they attack the village of Pozieres, the highest point on the battlefield.

In six weeks of brutal fighting, the Australian 1st, 2nd and 4th Divisions inch their way forward against determined German opposition and eventually secure the ruins of the village and the nearby Mouquet Farm.

At one point in the battle the Australians are forced to endure one of the heaviest bombardments of the war, as German artillery attempts to blast them from the village.

In six weeks of fighting, the Australians lose more than 23,000 men, making Pozieres the most costly battle in Australian history.